There are several different forms of poker, but they all basically have the same hands. The point of poker is to have the highest 5 cards on the table.

The cards are worth their numerical value, and the face cards are (from highest to lowest) Ace, King, Queen, Jack.

Ace can substitute for 1 or above king for straights (more on these later).

The hands are such (In order from highest hand to lowest

Royal Flush -- Ace + King + Queen + Jack + 10 all of the same suit. EX: Ace of hearts, king of hearts, queen of hearts, jack of hearts, 10 of hearts. (You're chances of getting this are RIDICULOUSLY slim. The Hard Rock near me gives out a grand prize to anybody who scores this hand.

Straight Flush -- Any 5 card ascending order of the same suit. EX: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 all of clubs/hearts/spades/diamonds

Four of a Kind -- having 4 of the same cards. EX: 10 of diamonds, 10 of spades, 10 of clubs, 10 of hearts.

Full House -- three of a kind and a pair. EX: 3 Jacks and 2 queens.

Flush -- all 5 cards of the same suit. EX: Any 5 hearts, any 5 clubs, etc.

Three of a kind -- 3 cards with the same value. EX: 3 kings, 3 jacks, etc.

Two pairs -- Two sets of pairs. EX: two 10's and two jacks.

Pair -- Two cards of the same value. EX: two aces.

High Card -- If nobody has any of these card combinations, then whoever has the highest card wins. (Ace being highest, 2 being lowest)

In Poker, the highest 5 card hand wins. Therefore, if I have a pair of 6's, and you have a pair of 8's, your pair of 8's beats my pair of sixes.

If I have a flush of hearts with my highest card 9, and you have a flush of hearts with your highest card a jack, you win. Etc.

Those are the card combinations.

“We are often hesitant to look at other faiths or to examine our own critically because we feel that, in doing so, we are being disloyal to our own deeply felt convictions. ... And yet our beliefs are not worth very much if they cannot stand up to any scrutiny.” -- James Livingston.

I accidentally hit submit but I just edited the post with the rest of the hands.

“We are often hesitant to look at other faiths or to examine our own critically because we feel that, in doing so, we are being disloyal to our own deeply felt convictions. ... And yet our beliefs are not worth very much if they cannot stand up to any scrutiny.” -- James Livingston.

The dealer rotates clockwise between the players. The two players closest to the dealer are called "small" and "big" and have to put in the "annie" which is the minimum requirement to bet (varies with tables). Small puts in half of the minimum bet and big puts in the full annie. EX: The annie is $10 so small puts in $5 and big puts in $10. Any players that are new to the table also have to put down "big", since they are joining in.

After small and big put in their required bets, the dealer passes out one card to each player, and then a second card to each player, clockwise.

From this point, you now have your first 2 cards. You now have the option to "call" or "raise" the annie (if you are not "small" or "big" and were already required to put in money). "Call" means to match the current bet" and "raise" means (obviously) to raise the current bet.

Okay, let me set up a fictional table.

1 - Dealer2 - Small3 - Big4 - Player <--- you5 - Player

If you, player 4, choose to "call" then you put the same amount down as "big". If you choose to "raise" you must match "big"'s bet and then increase it. If you "raise" then player 5 must match you're new bet, or "fold" ("fold" means to quit). Then, Dealer must match or fold, as well as small and big.

Once everybody has finish this first round of betting, the dealer does a "flop". The first card at the top of the deck is "burnt" and put face down. The next top three cards are laid face-up on the table.

Another round of betting begins, exactly how the beginning betting was, starting with the player 2, and going clockwise.

When everyone has called the final amount, the top card is "burnt" and a fourth card is placed face-up on the table. Another round of betting.

Then the final, 5th card, is on the table. A final round of betting, and then everybody shows their hands. Whoever has the highest 5 cards (out of the 7 cards they have, their personal hand and the face-up cards on the table) wins ALL of the money bet from all of the 5 rounds of betting.

There are other technical things to go over, but that is the basics of Texas Hold 'Em.

Five rounds of betting, so there can be an ASSLOAD of money to win here.

“We are often hesitant to look at other faiths or to examine our own critically because we feel that, in doing so, we are being disloyal to our own deeply felt convictions. ... And yet our beliefs are not worth very much if they cannot stand up to any scrutiny.” -- James Livingston.

People don't really hack the program, and if they did, you'd notice and would leave the table to find a new one.

And of course there is an assload to lose, with great risk comes great gain.

You gotta know when to hold 'em... know when to fold 'em!

“We are often hesitant to look at other faiths or to examine our own critically because we feel that, in doing so, we are being disloyal to our own deeply felt convictions. ... And yet our beliefs are not worth very much if they cannot stand up to any scrutiny.” -- James Livingston.

Several. A guy I work with plays online for practice, and plays in the casinos when he's in Laughlin. Does pretty well, too. Of course, as I neither play poker nor gamble (on anything...ever. was a hard habit to break.), this post is kind of pointless.

“We are often hesitant to look at other faiths or to examine our own critically because we feel that, in doing so, we are being disloyal to our own deeply felt convictions. ... And yet our beliefs are not worth very much if they cannot stand up to any scrutiny.” -- James Livingston.

But go ahead and check it out on your own and get some first-hand practice.

Maybe we can start a FSM private table up on there?

“We are often hesitant to look at other faiths or to examine our own critically because we feel that, in doing so, we are being disloyal to our own deeply felt convictions. ... And yet our beliefs are not worth very much if they cannot stand up to any scrutiny.” -- James Livingston.